Top 10 Beaches for Shells

According to Wikipedia

A shell is the hard, rigid outer covering, or integument, of certain animals. More specific scientific names include exoskeleton, carapace, and peltidium. A shell may be made of nacre (a combination of calcium and protein), chitin, bone and cartilage, or silica. While many sea animals produce exoskeletons, usually only those of molluscs are normally considered to be "sea shells".

Ok that is enough information about shells.

Let have a look at the top 10 beaches for shells as reported by CNN.

1. Sanibel Island, Florida
2. Ocracoke Island, North Carolina
3. Bandon, Oregon
4. Galveston, Texas
5. Tunnels Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
6. Flag Ponds Nature Park, Lusby, Maryland
7. Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia
8. Eleuthera Island, The Bahamas
9. Great Peconic Bay, Long Island, New York
10. Stinson Beach, California

You can the complete description...here

(Source: CNN, Wikipedia)

Top 10 Rock Movies

Here is the top 10 Rock movies......

10. Purple Rain
A time capsule movie if there ever was one, this sumptuously shot Prince vehicle is better known now for its Grammy and Oscar-winning score than for its quality as a film. Nevertheless, the rather misogynistic Purple Rain captures the music of its era (the mid-'80s) and is noteworthy for being one of the first feature films to bring music video style to the big-screen. The flimsy story charts "The Kid's" (a pompous, surly Prince) rise to fame from the Minneapolis music scene, his stormy relationship with his dad (Clarence Williams III), his wooing of the sexy Apollonia, and his rivalry with snide scene-stealer Morris Day.

9. Hedwig and The Angry Inch
This cult classic, based on an Off-Broadway musical, was directed by and stars John Cameron Mitchell. It tells the story of an East German youth named Hansel who undergoes a botched sex change operation after falling for an American G.I. Renamed Hedwig, she goes to America to follow her glam rock star dreams only to have that dream shattered when her lover Tommy Gnossis (Michael Pitt) steals her songs, her name and becomes the rock icon she always wanted to be.

8. The Doors
Oliver Stone's trippy, muddled biopic of late rocker-poet Jim Morrison (Val Kilmer, who also does most of his own singing), lead singer for the titular band, is more concerned with Morrison's self-destructive quest for "the palace of wisdom" than analyzing his musical contributions. One of the most dynamic and controversial musical personalities of the 1960s, Morrison died at 27 after years of drug and alcohol abuse. While the film covers a lot of traditional musical biopic ground (starting the band, hitting it big, the inevitable downward spiral), The Doors effectively captures the self-destructive nature of this rock god and the turbulent times that spawned him.

7. Tommy
This 1975 rock opera features a who's who of 1970s rock and film stars, including The Who, Elton John, Jack Nicholson, Ann-Margret (who was nominated for Best Actress), Oliver Reed, Tina Turner and Eric Clapton. Written and directed by Ken Russell, this cult classic follows troubled Tommy (Roger Daltrey) who seems like a hopeless case until he beats The Pinball Wizard (Elton John) and becomes a celebrity. His fame is so powerful that Tommy founds his own religious cult but he raises the ire of his fans when he protests their commercialization of himself. The Who later returned to rock opera territory with Quadrophenia.

6. Sid and Nancy
Director Alex Cox offers a gritty, powerful look at the doomed relationship between The Sex Pistols' wildy self-destructive guitarist Sid Vicious (Gary Oldman) and his American groupie-girlfriend Nancy Spungen (Chloe Webb). Although Sid and Nancy recreates the rise of the infamous British punk rock band, the film's primary focus is on the twisted love story between the drug-addled title characters whose relationship would end in tragedy and bloodshed.

5. The Buddy Holly Story
A then-skinny Gary Busey scored an Oscar nomination as Best Actor for his portrayal of the late rock pioneer Buddy Holly (he even does his own singing) in this thoughtful, well made biopic. The film follows Buddy's teen years in Lubbock, Texas where his love for "the devil's music" earned him the condemnation of the self-righteous sect but made him a star in the burgeoning realm of rock n' roll. Buddy – along with Ritchie Valens (immortalized in the film La Bamba) and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson - died in a plane crash at age 22 ("the day the music died"). Don Stroud and Charles Martin Smith co-star as Holly's band, The Crickets.

4. Jailhouse Rock
While not The King's movie, this 1957 flick is certainly his coolest and it captures the rebellious and sexually charged persona that made Elvis Presley the most dangerous young man of his time. Hot-headed laborer Vince Everett (Elvis) is convicted of manslaughter after getting into a tragic bar brawl. Vince's cellmate, a washed-up country singer, sees his musical potential and encourages him to pursue it. After being released from prison and enduring a rough start in the music biz, Vince eventually finds fame and fortune thanks to potential love interest Peggy Van Alden. But success goes to Vince's head and his temper and arrogance lead to his comeuppance. Along with King Creole, Viva Las Vegas and Flaming Star, Jailhouse Rock is one of Elvis' few viewable movies. It also features a classic dance sequence for the title song choreographed by The King himself.

3. A Hard Day's Night
Richard Lester directed this 1964 classic that remains one of the most influential movies about rock bands, in this case documenting The Beatles at the start of international Beatlemania. Thanks to its "a day in the life" approach, A Hard Day's Night is essentially the grandfather of the rockumentary. The faux plot of the film, which is laden with gags and musical interludes, has the Fab Four trying to reach a big gig as Paul McCartney keeps an eye on his grandfather, John Lennon clashes with a TV director, Ringo Starr gets jailed, and George Harrison suffers a case of mistaken identity. Lester and The Beatles would reunite for Help! in 1965.

2. This Is Spinal Tap
Actor Rob Reiner, who also stars, made his feature filmmaking debut with this beloved 1984 mockumentary about the fictitious British band Spinal Tap, charting their rise from skiffle group to the psychedelic era to hard rock. The movie within the movie documents Spinal Tap's first stateside tour in years, which results in a horrendous series of indignities, squabbles and debacles. Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Christopher Guest play band members David St. Hubbins, Derek Smalls, and Nigel Tufnel, respectively.

1. Almost Famous
Writer-director Cameron Crowe's quasi-autobiographical film follows teen journalist William Miller's (Patrick Fugit) time with the (fictitious) rock band Stillwater (including guitarist Billy Crudup and singer Jason Lee) while covering them for Rolling Stone magazine. Along the way, he encounters mentor-rock critic Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and beautiful "band-aide" Penny Lane (Oscar nominee Kate Hudson). Miller's transformation from sheltered adolescent to professional journalist and young man makes for a funny and poignant coming-of-age tale. Almost Famous is arguably the most affectionate, honest and fun movie yet made about rock and roll and those who love and live for it.

(Source: IGN.com)

Top 10 Genealogy Mistakes to Avoid !!

According to Wikipedia

Genealogy is the study and tracing of family pedigrees. This involves the collection of the names of relatives, both living and deceased, and establishing the relationships among them based on primary, secondary and/or circumstantial evidence or documentation, thus building up a cohesive family tree. Genealogy is often also referred to as family history, although these terms may be used distinctly: the former being the basic study of who is related to whom; the latter involving more "fleshing out" of the lives and personal histories of the individuals involved.

With that out of the way, lets look at the Top 10 Genealogy mistakes to avoid.

1. Don't Forget Your Living Relatives
2. Don't Trust Everything You See in Print
3. We're Related To... Someone Famous
4. Genealogy is More Than Just Names & Dates
5. Beware Generic Family Histories
6. Don't Accept Family Legends As Fact
7. Don't Limit Yourself to Just One Spelling
8. Don't Neglect to Document Your Sources
9. Don't Jump Straight to the Country of Origin
10. Don't Misspell the Word Genealogy

(Source: About.com)

Top 10 Tips to Surf the Web

Despite the increasing availability of high-speed, broadband internet service, most people still access the Web with a dial-up account. Waiting for media-rich web pages to download can be frustrating, as is trying to find specific information in a sea of data. To make Web surfing a more satisfying and productive experience, check out the top 10 tips.

1. Get a faster connection.
2. Use the Stop button.
3. Increase your cache to load most visited sites faster.
4. Save keystrokes by using Bookmarks or Favorites
5. Use the Find feature of your web browser to look up things quickly.
6. Pick two search engines and learn how they work.
7. Choose your own home page for the page that you use the most.
8. Open a new window from the existing browser window.
9. Surf during off-peak hours to avoid the rush and get faster downloads.
10. View sites in a text-only mode if you have a slow connection.

You can find the details...here

(Source: learnthenet.com)

Top 10 Reasons to Quit Smoking

Smoking injures blood vessel walls and speeds up the process of hardening of the arteries. This applies even to filtered cigarettes. So even though it does not cause high blood pressure, smoking is bad for anyone, especially those with high blood pressure. If you smoke, quit. If you don't smoke, don't start. Once you quit, your risk of having a heart attack is reduced after the first year. So you have a lot to gain by quitting.

1. I will reduce my chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
2. I will reduce my chances of getting lung cancer, emphysema, and other lung diseases.
3. I will have better smelling clothes, hair, breath, home, and car.
4. I will climb stairs and walk without getting out of breath.
5. I will have fewer wrinkles.
6. I will be free of my morning cough.
7. I will reduce the number of coughs, colds, and earaches my child will have.
8. I will have more energy to pursue physical activities I enjoy.
9. I will treat myself to new books or music with the money I save from not buying cigarettes.
10. I will have more control over my life.

(Source: NHLBI)

The 10 Riskiest Businesses To Start

While some two-thirds of small firms make it past the two-year mark, just 44% can hack it for four years, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And by "hack it," we're just talking survival rates here: Plenty of those "survivors" are choking down ramen noodles to keep the lights on.

If those odds don't scare you off, consider too that some industries may be inherently tougher to crack than others. Your friends might think that you rival Mario Batali in the kitchen, or that you can go sole for sole with the likes of Kenneth Cole. But the sober truth is that it takes more than talent to run a restaurant, a clothing boutique and a host of other ventures. Sadly, some of the most enticing industries are also the riskiest.

Good data on business failures are hard to find. At first blush, BLS figures suggest that failure rates are consistent across industries. Yet those industry groupings are very broad, capturing the entire universe of small companies in just 10 general buckets. For example, restaurants are lumped into the larger "leisure and hospitality" bucket, including more stable outfits like hotels. Some economists chalk up failure rates to other factors, such as location, the experience level of management teams and whether companies are able to nab venture funding.

Lets have a quick look at the top 10 riskiest businesses to start.

1. Transportation
2. Apparel Stores
3. Restaurants & Bars
4. Communications
5. Travel Agency & Tour Operators
6. Food Stores
7. Personal Services
8. Auto Repair
9. Trucking
10. Money Service Businesses
    

You can find the complete list...here

(Source: Forbes.com)

Top 10 energy saving measures

They say you have to speculate to accumulate and, by following these top 10 energy saving measures below, you're guaranteed a great return on your investment, both financially and environmentally.

The energy saving measures below could help you shave up alot of money off your annual energy bill and enable you to reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by two tonnes. Here's how you do it.

1. Don't leave appliances on standby
2. Install at least 3 Energy Saving Recommended bulbs.
3. Only boil as much water as you need
4. Insulate your loft
5. Install cavity wall insulation
6. Upgrade your boiler
7. Buy Energy Saving Recommended appliances
8. Turn your thermostat down by 1^oC
9. Wash your laundry at 30^oC
10. Don't use the car for short journeys

You can find complete list...here

(Source: est.org.uk)

Top 10 Myths about Business Innovation

If you are worrying about innovation, take heart. Only successful companies do. By contrast, unsuccessful companies either aren't around to do any worrying or are consumed with more pressing concerns, like meeting payroll or paying their bills. At the other end of the spectrum, venture-backed start-ups have lots of worries, but innovating isn't one of them - they actually worry more about not innovating, as in let's not waste our scarce resources reinventing wheels that others have already developed.

But you are not a start-up. You have some success, some momentum, and therefore some inertia, and it is the inertia that has you worried. By design inertia resists change. This is a good thing, as long as you are headed in a direction you want to go. But when the market changes, inertia acts against your future interests. Now you are right to be worried.

So you raise the topic of innovation in hopes of getting some insight. With that in mind, let us go through the Top 10 Myths about Business Innovation:

10. We don't innovate around here any more.
9. Product life cycles are getting shorter and shorter.
8. We need a Chief Innovation Officer.
7. We need to be more like Google.
6. R&D investment is a good indicator of innovation commitment.
5. Great innovators are usually egotistical mavericks.
4. innovation is inherently disruptive.
3. It is good to innovate.
2. Innovation is hard.
1. When innovation dies, it's because the antibodies kill it.

You can find the complete article...here

(Source: Sandhill.com)

Top 10 US killer tornadoes

The United States gets about 1000 recorded tornadoes every year. Today, only a few are killers, but that has not always been so. About 200 US tornadoes have killed 18 or more people. Of those, about 150 occurred in the 70 year period between 1879 and 1949. There have been about 45 tornadoes since 1950 that have killed 18 or more people. In the 1950s, there were 18 tornadoes that killed 18 or more people. In the 1960s, there were 12 tornadoes that killed 18 or more people. In the 1970s,there were 11 tornadoes that killed 18 or more people. And in the 1980s, there were only 2 tornadoes that killed more than 18 people. In spite of an ever-burgeoning population, death figures continue to go down as improved forecasting, detection, communications, and public awareness increase.

You can find the top 10 US killer tornadoes here...

Top 10 Bushisms

10) "Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream." —LaCrosse, Wis., Oct. 18, 2000

9) "I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family." —Greater Nashua, N.H., Jan. 27, 2000

8) "I hear there's rumors on the Internets that we're going to have a draft." —second presidential debate, St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 8, 2004

7) "I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." —Saginaw, Mich., Sept. 29, 2000

6) "You work three jobs? … Uniquely American, isn't it? I mean, that is fantastic that you're doing that." —to a divorced mother of three, Omaha, Nebraska, Feb. 4, 2005

5) "Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." —Poplar Bluff, Mo., Sept. 6, 2004

4) "They misunderestimated me." —Bentonville, Ark., Nov. 6, 2000

3) "Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning?" —Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000

2) "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." —Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2004

1) "There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again." —Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002

(Source: About.com)

Top 10 Ugliest Sneakers 2006 !!

Every year Nike and the rest of the streetwear fashion industry tries to release limited edition shoes that people will swoon for. Once in a while, they’ll be able to make a hit, like when Nike paired up with toy culture artist Michael Lau and created the Michael Lau Nike Dunk Low Pro SB (photo above). More often than not though, the crazy sneaker designs are just nasty and ugly.

A reminder to everyone in the streetwear fashion industry - No more polka dots, fur or leopard prints please!

Here are the Top 10 Ugliest Sneakers of 2006 in no particular order.

BAPESTA Polka Dots Multi Color Bathing Ape

Crazy Air Max 95

Nike Air FootScape Woven Polka Dot

Nike X-Girl

Nike SB Dunks Three Bears Pack

Lacoste Colette Sneakers

Nike and Cole Hann Crocodile Skin ‘Icy’ Jordan’s

Microsoft Xbox Sneakers

Nike Frankenstein Pack

Nike Air Max 95 Burberry Edition

(Source: Kineda.com)

Top 10 Google Apps

As Google expands its empire beyond stellar search, the goliath keeps piling onto its heap of free tools that enable you to communicate, manage multimedia, jam-pack your calendar, map trips, and even create virtual worlds. Some of these apps integrate seamlessly with each other, while others stand alone. Most of these services are rough drafts that remain in beta testing, so expect them to evolve. Here are the 10 Google apps that we find the most intriguing, whether for their sheer usefulness or for the controversy they attract. (Check out more members of the Google family here.)

CNET rating

8.4

1. Gmail beta

Gmail is a star among the Web's top e-mail tools, especially for its inventive message-organizing methods. And Gmail plays well with other members of the Google family. Case in point: its natural-language abilities can detect when someone sends you an event invitation, then whisk you to Google Maps or Google Calendar so that you won't miss the party. Read review

CNET rating

7.0

2. Google Calendar beta

Dinner at 8? How about sword-swallowing classes at 8:30 instead? Google Calendar enables you to manage appointments and discover events from assorted sources that other users have made public. Read review

3. Google Talk beta

What's better than an instant-messaging tool loaded with expressive emoticons, as well as links to news stories and streaming music sites? If such bells and whistles strike the wrong note with you, then the answer is Google Talk. You can run this no-frills chatting client either within a floating window or embedded within Gmail. Add a headset and talk to buddies for free. Read editor's take

CNET rating

7.7

4. Writely beta

Who says you need to pay through the nose for a word processor? Ever since we started using the free Writely to compose and edit basic text files, we've been hooked on its simplicity. The drawback? If you're offline, you're out of luck. Read review

5. Google Spreadsheets

Most people find crunching numbers dull. It's extraclunky when you must open a hard drive-hogging application just to sum up some quick figures. Google Labs' Spreadsheets lets you make calculations on the fly from anywhere, as long as you're online. It may not be an Excel killer, but it's a time-saver. Read editor's take

CNET rating

7.0

6. Google Maps

Cartography seemed dry until Google Maps started serving up free satellite views to the public. Since then, enthusiasts have been shaping this dynamic mapping tool to pinpoint the locations of hot dog stands, celebrity sightings, and visits from outer space. Read review

7. Google Earth 4 beta

Remember the hype that the Internet would immerse us in virtual tourism that would be more fun than actually going places in the real world? Such predictions were premature, but sit down with Google Earth, and a momentary lookup can turn into hours of flying around the globe to explore its nooks and crannies. Read editor's take

CNET rating

8.0

8. Google SketchUp

Build your dream house in 3D detail without a lick of CAD or architectural expertise. While you're at it, why not sketch a whole city, drop it into Google Earth, and send it to your friends to move forward with your world domination plans. Read review

9. Picasa Web Albums beta

At long last, one of the finest freebie apps for tweaking your digital pictures now lets you upload albums to the Web. We hope that the bare-bones Picasa Web Albums, now in a testing phase, will eventually add more features for editing, tagging, and sharing photos online. Read editor's take

CNET rating

7.0

10. Google Desktop 4 beta

This download installs a top-notch search tool to find files on your computer, and it stacks fun Gadgets on your desktop. Hey, now that you're using so many Google tools, why not just hand over your hard drive to Mountain View? Seriously, though, Desktop's search is terrific, but we nevertheless urge that you either skip it altogether or disable Advanced Features if you feel uneasy about entrusting so much personal data to one company. Read review

(Source: CNET)

Top 10 Strangest MP3 Players

MP3 Players come in all shapes and sizes, that’s why our editors decided to compile a list of the “Top 10 Strangest MP3 Players” for your enjoyment.

10. Teddy Bear MP3 Player

This makes our list because…well…it’s a teddy bear shaped MP3 player! The keys look almost too tiny to press and it only comes with 128MB built-in memory.

9. Clip Type MP3 Player

For the person who easily loses things, this clip type MP3 player is for you. Measuring 25.6 x 53.2 x 22.6mm and weighing just 20g, it can be clipped just about anywhere.

8. $5 Cereal Box MP3 Player

Coming soon to a vending machine near you. These $5 MP3 players are shaped like mini cereal boxes and play all your favorite MP3 and WMA tracks. At this price, don’t expect it to hold more than a few songs.

[TechDigest]

7. Magic Mirror MP3 Player

Shenzhen Xindaxin Technology Co. Ltd. claims that the “screen can be used as a mirror”. Other perks include, MP3 playback/recording, FM tuner, and synchronized lyrics.

[StrangeNewProducts]

6. Scented MP3 Players

Who wants a rose, lemon, chocolate, blueberry, strawberry, or rasberry scented MP3 player? Check out the iCool by Solid Alliance.

[AkihabaraNews]

5. Brain Wave MP3 Player

CURE-alpha is an MP3 player that supposedly emits alpha waves which calm and rejuvinate the brain. They are transmitted at very low frequencies while listening to MP3/WMA files.

[I4U]

4.Minty MP3

This is actually an MP3 player you can build yourself. Minty claims that half of the parts can be sampled for free, meaning you’ll only end up spending around $50 along with countless hours of brain wracking.

[Minty]

3. NES Controller MP3 Player

Martin Kersch of Germany made great use of a boring Saturday afternoon by transforming an ordinary USB Stick and NES Controller into a fully functional battery powered MP3 Player.

[FutureNews]

2. MP3 Toilet

Technically, it’s not a stand alone MP3 player, but rather one that works with your toilet. This SD memory based player attaches to the wall above your toilet and includes a special receiver that goes under the toilet seat, how sanitary.

[Akihabara]

1. PEZ MP3 Player

At first glance, it looks like any other PEZ dispenser, but upon furthur inspection, you’ll find a 3.5mm stereo mini jack and music keys. It packs an ample 512MB memory and weighs just 0.78 ounces.

[PezMP3]

(Source: TechEBlog)